* Fire
Department Organization
* Fire Chiefs
* Fire Station History
* Fire Apparatus History
* Major Fires & Incidents
History
* Run Stats History
FIRE DEPARTMENT
ORGANIZATION
The following is taken from a Oct 1939 newspaper account of
the Bourne Fire Department:
The first fire apparatus in Bourne came as the result
of the "Progressive Society" in the various villages of the town. The Buzzards
Bay P.S. apparently purchased the first firefighting equipment in the early
1900's. A "Club house" was established at the Cohasset Hall on
Main Street, Buzzards Bay.
In 1907, there was a combination hook &
ladder as well as a chemical engine (of some variety).
By 1922, horse drawn apparatus was "obsolete" and a Ford/American LaFrance pumper and 2nd
chemical truck was purchased.
Articles of "Incorporation" were
developed in Aug 1922 making Mr. Johnson the first Fire Chief.
In March 1925, the first Board of Engineers meeting was held. At that time, 2
engines were bought for $1500. At this point there were engines in Buzzards Bay,
Monument Beach, and Sagamore.
In 1931 the Cohasset Hall burned. In
1932 the Buzzards Bay Fire Station was built on its present site. In March
1932 the town of Bourne accepted MGL.ch.48, 42, 43 for governing fire
dept.
In 1939 there were 6 fulltime and 73 call personnel with 10 trucks
in service. Buzzards bay had Eng 1, Eng 7, Hose 1, Ladder 1.
Monument Beach had Eng 2, Eng 3, and the Fire Patrol. Sagamore had Eng
4. Pocasset had Engine 5. In 1938 the first radios were
installed.
The Fire Chief between 1932-1936 was Chief Taylor. Chief
Wallace served from 1936-1956. Deputy Chief Thomas J Philbrick served from
1932-1963.
In July 1991, Bourne Fire Department faced a major budgetary deficit and
12 of 36 fulltime fire fighters were laid off. This resulted in the
closing of two staffed fire houses and eliminated ambulance coverage south of the
Cape Cod Canal. Attempts to restore funding failed for several years until
1994 when sufficient personnel were hired to once again staff the Pocasset
Station.
2021 - Pocasset Station 4 had
to be closed due to unsafe floor. Staffing and apparatus moved to Monument Beach
Station with temporary trailer. Mon Beach became Sta 4 for Dispatching purposes
and Pocasset became Sta 2 with one engine in available bay.
FIRE CHIEFS
2020-Present - David Cody
(Actg Jan 2020/full Mar 2021)
2015-2020 - Norman "Spanky" Sylvester Jr
(Ret 1/31/20)
2011-2015 - Martin Greene
2009-2011 - Daniel Doucette
(Acting Jan 2009)
2006-2009 - David "Skip" Kingsbury
(Acting Nov 2006)
2002-2006 - Charles Klueber
2000-2002 - Charles Klueber
(Acting since 2000)
1992-2000 - Steven C Philbrick
1991-1992 - Robert Eldridge (deputy)
(Acting)
1986-1991 - Martin Jordan
(Jan 1986)
1982-1986 - Robert Eldridge (deputy)
(Acting)
1973-1982 - Richard V Raymond
1971-1973 - Leo Ferrara
1957-1970 - Charles S Brailey
1936-1956 - J Thomas Wallace
(Sept 1936)
1932-1936 - James C Taylor
c.1925 -
Robert T Crump
(Mon Beach)
c.1922 -
Mr Johnson
(Aug 1922. First Chief, Articles of Incorp)
ASST CHIEFS
2020-Present - David Pelonzi
(Aug 2020)
2018-2020 - David Cody
(Feb 2018-Aug 2020)
FIRE STATIONS
HISTORY
1906-1925 Buzzards Bay -
Cohasset Hall (BB Protective Society)
1925-1931 Buzzards Bay - Cohasset Hall (Bourne FD)
(Burned in 1931)
1931-1933 Buzzards Bay - Temporary Station
1933-
Buzzards Bay - Station 1 - 130 Main St (dedicated Oct 1933)
1956-
Buzzards Bay - Station 1 - 130 Main St (addition)
1908-1925 Monument Beach - Old Douglas Stable (BB
Protective Soc)
1925-
Monument Beach - Station 2 - 14 Thomas Philbrick (Bourne FD)
1994-
Monument Beach - Station 2 - (addition)
2021-
Mon Beach - Renamed Sta 4 - Temp Staffing Trailer
1908-1925 Sagamore - Harold Champions Barn - Old
Plymouth Rd
1925-1948 Sagamore - Harold Champions Barn - (Bourne FD)
1948-2006 Sagamore - Station 3 - Sagamore Rotary
2006-
Sagamore - Station 3 - 51 Meetinghouse Lane (HQ in Jan 2017)
1914-1925 Pocasset - Old Pocasset School House
(BB Prot Soc)
1925-1946 Pocasset - Old Pocasset School House
(Bourne FD)
1946-
Pocasset - Station 4 - 311 Barlows Landing Rd
1983-
Pocasset - Station 4 - (addition)
2021-
Pocasset - Sta 4 (closed to staffing - moved to Mon Beach)
FIRE APPARATUS HISTORY
1995 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Buzzards Bay (KNAW
393)
120 A-1
1993 Ford F150 4x4 Pickup Truck (red/white)
120A Car 3
1992 Ford LTD Duty Officer (maroon)
121 Car 1
1994 Ford LTD Fire Chief Steven Philbrick (maroon)
121A
Car 2 1991 Ford LTD Deputy Car
(red)
125
Engine 5 1975 Maxim F
1000/750 Pumper - Jaws (r/w)
128
Breaker 8 1967 (1975) Kaiser Mil
6x6/T Young 150/1500 Brush Breaker (red)
131
Engine 1 1987 Pierce Arrow 4dr cf
1250/750/50 Pumper (r/w)
132
Ladder 1 1973 Farrar/Grove 85' Aerial Ladder Truck ('90 Murphy refurb) (r/w)
134
Rescue 1 1990 Ford F350/Wheeled
Coach Type I Ambulance (EMS 304) (w/r)
136
Rescue 3 1994 Ford F350/E-One Type I Ambulance
(EMS 306) (w/r)
138 Service 1 1976 ('93)
International Mil 4x4 Canteen
Boat 17' Boston Whaler
Ice Boat Ice Sled Station 2
- Monument Beach
122
Engine 2 1994 International 4dr/E-One
1250/750 Pumper (r/w)
129
Breaker 9 1952 Reo Mil 6x6/1986 T Young 150/750 Brush
Breaker (r/w) Station 3 - North Sagamore
(rotary circle)
123
Engine 3 1980 Ford co/Pierce 1000/500 Pumper (yellow/white)
123A
Squad 1 1979
Ford / E-One 250/300 Mini Pumper (red/white)
137
Haz Mat 1989 Chevy / Hesse Mass Dist 1 Haz Mat Truck
Station 4 - Pocasset
124
Engine 4 1995 International 4dr/E-One
1250/750 Pumper (r/w)
133 Rescue 4
1984 ('93) Ford F350/Horton Type I Dive Truck (red)
135
Rescue 2 1992
Ford F350/Frontline Type I Ambulance (EMS 305)
----------------------------------------------
1992 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Buzzards Bay (KNAW
393)
120 Car 3
1983 Chevy 4x4 Pickup Truck Duty Officer (red/white)
121 Car 1
1984 Chevy Impala Fire Chief Robert Eldridge
121A
Car 2 1988 Ford LTD Deputy Car
125
Engine 5 1975 Maxim F
1000/750 Pumper
128
Breaker 8 1967 (1975) Kaiser Mil
6x6 -/1500 Brush Breaker (red)
131
Engine 1 1987 Pierce Arrow
1250/750/50 Pumper (Jaws) (red/white)
132
Ladder 1 1973 Farrar /
Grove 85' Aerial Ladder Truck (1990 Murphy refurb) (r/w)
134
Rescue 1 1990 Ford / Wheeled
Coach Type I Ambulance (EMS 304)
135
Rescue 2 1984 Chevy /
Frontline Type I Ambulance (EMS 305) Station 2
- Monument Beach
122
Engine 2 1968 Maxim S
750/500 Pumper
129
Breaker 9 1952 Reo Mil 6x6 /
1986 T Young 150/750 Brush Breaker (red/white)
Boat 17' Boston Whaler
Ice Boat Ice Sled Station 3 - North Sagamore
(rotary circle)
123
Engine 3 1980
Ford CO / Pierce 1000/500 Pumper (yellow/white)
136
Rescue 3 1986
Ford / Frontline Type I Ambulance (EMS 306)
137
Haz Mat 1989 Chevy / Hesse Mass Dist 1 Haz Mat Truck
Station 4 - Pocasset
123A
Squad 1 1979
Ford / E-One 250/300 Mini Pumper (yellow)
124
Engine 4 1972 Maxim F 1000/500 Pumper
---------------------------------------------- Early 1980s Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Buzzards Bay
120
A-1
1983 Chevy Pickup Duty Officer (yellow)
121
C-1
Fire Chief Car
126
Engine 6 1975 Maxim F 1000/750 Pumper (Jaws) (red)
128
Breaker 8 1967 Kaiser Mil 6x6 / 1975 T Young 500/1500
Brush Breaker (red)
131
Engine 1 1972 Maxim F 1000/500 Pumper (red)
132
Ladder 1 1973 Farrar / Grove 85' Aerial Ladder (red)
133
C-3
Bourne CD Truck (white)
134
Rescue 1 1982 Ford / Yankee Coach Type III
Ambulance (EMS 304) (white/red)
136
A-2 1954 Jeep 4x4 125 gal brush truck "Tinker Bell" (red)
137
C-2 Deputy Fire Chief
Boat 1
16' Boston Whaler
Ice Boat
Ice Boat Station 2 - Monument Beach
123
Engine 3 1962 Ford / Maxim 750/500
Pumper (red)
127
Breaker 7 1944 Chevy 4x4 250/600 Brush Breaker (red)
Station 3 - North Sagamore (rotary circle)
122
Engine 2 1968 Maxim S 750/500
Pumper
124
Engine 4 1979 Ford / Pierce
250/300 Mini Pumper (yellow) Station 4 -
Pocasset
125
Engine 5 1980 Ford C / Pierce
1000/500 Pumper (yellow/white)
130
Breaker 10 1953 International Mil 6x6 / 1977 T Young
500/1000 Brush Breaker (red)
135
Rescue 2 1978 Chevy / Providence
Body Type I Ambulance (EMS 305) (white/orange)
MAJOR FIRES &
INCIDENTS HISTORY
Major Fires and Incidents
1981 - Dec 22 - One cadet was filled and others injured during a multiple alarm
fire aboard the 532 foot Massachusetts Maritime Academy ship "Bay
State." Mutual aid operated for several hours to contain the below
decks fire.
1988 - Sept - Two people were killed in an accident involving an 18 wheeler and
several vehicles at the north approach to the Bourne Bridge. Fires and
numerous injuries resulted.
1990 - Jan - Three were killed in a headon MVA at the southern approach to the
Sagamore Bridge.
1991 - April 1 - The China Bay Chinese restaurant was destroyed by a 4 alarm
fire at 0030 hrs.
The fire at the east end rotary in Buzzards Bay was spectacular and required
extensive mutual aid.
1993 - Aug 25 - The former Sagamore Lumber yard on Freighthouse Road, South
Sagamore, was destroyed in a 3 alarm fire at 0118 hrs. Six towns assisted
Bourne FD as they protected a 30,000 and (2) 18,000 gallon propane gas tanks
exposed to the fire.
1994 - Nov 27 - A huge 100 year old mansion at the end of Monument Neck Road in
Monument Beach was destroyed in a spectacular fire at 1531 hrs. Efforts were
hampered by water supply problems, access, and the size of the waterfront house.
1994 - Nov 28 - A mother and child were killed in a headon MVA on Bourne Scenic
Highway.
INCIDENT HISTORY -
RUN STATS
Incidents History
Year
Fire
EMS Total
1960
1970
1975
1980
589
1,037 1,626
1985
1990
710
1,218 1,928
1992
668
1,085 1,753
1993
760
1,253 2,013
1994
802
1,563 2,365
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2,939
2001
3,005
2002
933
2123 3,056
2003
3,330
2004
3,444
2005
3,567
2006
3,487
2007
3,579
2008
3,555
2009
3,696
2010
3,729
2011
3,731
2012
4,043
2013
4,376
2014
4,686
2015
4,931
2016
4,706
2017
4,510
2018
4,493
2019
4,449
2020
4,317
2021
4,853
2022
4,888
2023
5,131 Updated January 13, 2024 |
